An impressive, deeply evocative tale which is both engrossing and intriguing…
This frank, poignant work of women’s fiction, the conclusion to The Anatomy of An Affair series expertly explores the aftermath of an extramarital affair as the protagonist continues her story from the first book. Lily Wentworth’s story has only begun, picking up exactly where the cliffhanger ending of Anatomy of An Affair: Part I left off. The story follows the healing of Lily who is at crossroads after her affair with Kyle O’Reilly. Angered and broken, Lily is still trying to come to terms with Kyle’s unthinkable act. Complicating matters are her father who is saddened by the absurd happening in Lily’s life, her bitter ex-husband who still needs time to come to terms with Lily’s betrayal, and the ex-boyfriend she’s burned one time too many. A close friend from Lily’s past steps forward to help her. But the journey to the healing will only begin once Lily gets over her past and finds closure on the things that torment her relentlessly. Alexander takes an assured, meandering approach to unravel her characters’ persona as the story moves forward: Colleen’s character turns out be both pathetic and despicable as she comes out of shadows in this installment; Nigel, the starry-eyed lover, who took a shine to Lily in the first installment reveals different shades to his character with Alexander adding more layers to his personality; Kyle stays true to his deeply troubled persona; Nick’s character is more humane as he lets go of his restraints and for once expresses himself; Lily is the heart of the story even here. She doesn’t mince words when it comes to expressing her true feelings or shy away from depicting her lack of forethought that led to the devastated affair. Her genuineness together with her crazy make her a thoroughly humane protagonist. Readers will find it easy to connect with Lily as the narrator as she takes a dry-eyed look at her own infidelity, at her past traumas, and at her pains and insecurities, while trying to attain some kind of understanding for her actions and strives for closure. Alexander deftly blends her characters’ personal dramas with poignant emotions and practical insights. The result is a book made of equal parts emotions and considerable forethought. Alexander has made irresistible drama out of Lily’s search for answers to her infidelity. Lovers of literary romance will be rewarded.
Note: This title is free on Kindle Unlimited.
The Healing of Lily Wentworth
By Melissa Martineau Alexander
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Pub date November 28, 2015
ASIN B018PNHH0Y
Price $3.98 (USD) Kindle edition, $10.95 Paperback
